Gay rights supporters protest SB 1062 at the Arizona State Capitol in Phoenix.

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Arizona has become a major flashpoint in the national debate over the boundaries between religious freedom and discrimination, as Gov. Jan Brewer vetoed a bill on Wednesday that would have given business owners a legal defense for refusing service to customers on religious grounds.

But the state is hardly alone in mulling more explicit protections for religious business owners and individuals, whose objections to same-sex marriage have come into increasing conflict with newer laws expanding the rights of gays and lesbians.

Here’s a roundup of various religious-liberty measures circulating in other statehouses. Most have yet to pass a single chamber and a number have been tabled. Some deal specifically with the rights of businesses or students, while others are more broadly worded. In at least two states, the issue may go before voters as a ballot initiative.

* Proposed legislation:

Alabama: A bill introduced in the state House would create the Alabama Student Religious Liberties Act, which would “prohibit school districts from discriminating against a student or parent on the basis of a religious viewpoint or religious expression in public schools” and “require school districts to allow religious expression in class assignments, coursework, and artwork.”

Georgia: Lawmakers have introduced the “Preservation of Religious Freedom Act“ modeled after a two-decade-old federal law that sets a high legal bar for when the government may “substantially burden” an individual’s exercise of religion.

Legislators in the lower house have also proposed a “Georgia Student Religious Liberties Act” that would prohibit teachers from penalizing students for expressing religious beliefs in assignments or homework and would also require schools to create forums for students to express their faith at school events.

Idaho: House lawmakers are considering a measure that would prohibit the government from “denying, revoking or suspending any professional or occupational license or registration based upon actions involving the exercise or expression of sincerely held religious beliefs.” Another measure would expand the state’s existing Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

Kansas: Kansas lawmakers introduced a measure that would prohibit religious individuals or businesses from being required to serve customers or hire people if doing so would be “contrary to the sincerely held religious beliefs” about sex or gender. The state’s attorney general said if enacted, the measure would likely be challenged in court. It passed the House on Feb. 12 and was referred to the Senate’s judiciary committee.

“Currently, Senate leadership has no intention of working or voting on” the bill, said Senate majority leader Terry Bruce, who thought the measure was too ambiguously worded. He said the chamber is going back and reviewing religious-protection statutes already on the books.

Michigan: Lawmakers introduced a bill in December that would prohibit discrimination against a student or a student’s parent “on the basis of a religious viewpoint or religious expression.”

Ohio: Late last year more than three dozen state lawmakers in the Ohio House proposed an Ohio Religious Freedom Restoration Act that a main sponsors says ”would reassert the foundation upon which this country was founded and has grown and prospered on—freedom of religion and the practice of it.”

Oklahoma: The state’s Religious Viewpoints Antidiscrimination Act, which passed the Oklahoma House this month, would impose new requirements on school districts to ensure that students who express religious viewpoints are treated the same as other students. The Senate is now considering it.

South Dakota: A dozen South Dakota lawmakers sponsored a bill introduced in late January that would shield businesses from civil liability that refuse to serve or hire a person “based on sexual orientation.” It met opposition from other Republican lawmakers, one of whom called it a “mean, nasty, hateful, vindictive bill.” Other Republicans questioned whether it was needed. The Senate Judiciary Committee last week voted to quash it.

Tennessee: Tennessee lawmakers in both houses introduced a measure that would allow religious business owners to deny services or refuse to employ people if doing so would violate their beliefs. The bill has stalled after sponsors abandoned it.

Utah: The Utah Senate introduced a measure in late January that would require “instruction in American history in public schools to include a study of religious freedom” granted by the U.S. Constitution.

Republican Senate leaders there also scuttled a bill proposed by a GOP senator and backed by gay-rights groups that would have expanded the state’s anti-discrimination law to encompass discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. Before revisiting the issue, legislative leaders said they wanted to wait to see if Utah prevails in its appeal of a December federal court ruling against the state’s gay marriage ban.

Virginia: Virginia’s Senate passed a bill last month that codifies the rights of students to “voluntarily pray or engage in religious activities or religious expression before, during, and after the school day in the same manner and to the same extent that students may engage in nonreligious activities or expression.” The measure was voted out of the House education committee this week.

West Virginia: Legislators in both houses proposed a West Virginia Religious Freedom Restoration Act in January, and the lower house unveiled a separate bill to protect students from religious discrimination. The measures have yet to advance beyond the committee stage.

* Ballot initiatives:

California: A California pastor is behind a ballot effort that would protect individuals from “any action that would violate their liberty of conscience” based on biblical authority.

Oregon: A conservative group is seeking to get an initiative on the Oregon ballot letting voters decide whether to allow business owners to opt out of participating in a same-sex commitment ceremonies based on religious belief.

About Law Blog

The Law Blog covers the legal arena’s hot cases, emerging trends and big personalities. It’s brought to you by lead writer Jacob Gershman with contributions from across The Wall Street Journal’s staff. Jacob comes here after more than half a decade covering the bare-knuckle politics of New York State. His inside-the-room reporting left him steeped in legal and regulatory issues that continue to grab headlines.

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